Nicholas Byram (c1610-1688)
|birth_year=1610 |birth_date-approx=c |birth_nation-subdiv1=England |birth_nation=United Kingdom |death_year=1688 |death_nation-subdiv1=Massachusetts |death_nation=United States |ifmarried-g1=true |wedding1_year=1638 |wedding1_month=10 |wedding1_date-approx=bef |wedding1_locality=Weymouth, Massachusetts |wedding1_county=Norfolk County, Massachusetts |wedding1_nation-subdiv1=Massachusetts |wedding1_nation=United States |globals= }} Nicholas Byram was born about 1610 in England to William H. Byram and Mary Williams of Kent, England. When he was an infant, his family moved to Ireland. When Nicholas was 16 years old, his father sent him to visit some friends in England. However, one of his friends betrayed him of his trust, robbed him of his money, and sent him to the West Indies, possibly Barbadoes, where Nicholas was sold to pay his passage. After his term expired, Nicholas made his way to New England in 1634. He settled at Weymouth, Massachusetts. Nicholas married Susanna Shaw in 1636 and they had several children. He was admitted as a freeman in 1638, which at that time required him to be a member of the church and attested to be of good life by his minister. Nicholas bought land in Weymouth. He was also a trader, and he was a principal assistant of a celebrated Indian chief in the sale of a tract of land on the coast of Maine: After a deed by Robin Hood of Negwasseg to John Richards of an island where Richards then lived, made April 22, 1649, in presence of John Holman (a Dorchester man) arid Nicholas Byram and John Kinge there follows a deposition by Kiuge as to his sight of the transfer and then "Nicholas Byram testifieth upon oath that hee see Robin Hoode deliver this Deede & subscribed his name as witness & allso writt with his owne hande Robin Hoods name to his marke taken upon oath this 22 day of June, 1651 before mee Rich : Bellingham Govr." In 1660, Nicholas bought three purchase rights in Bridgewater and settled there. He was one of the petitioners of Bridgewater in 1668 to the Plymouth court regarding taxationL "An order sent unto Bridgewater as followeth :— Gentlemen : Upon the complaint of Mr. Nicholas Birom, in the behalfe of himselfe and others of your towne that apprehend they are oppressed by your way of rateing," etc., advice as to better methods. Some time later a proposition was made to the Court by Bridgewater people regarding their lands, and " Elder Brett, Mr. Nicholas Byram, and Mr. Samuel Edson " were "heerby deputed by the Court to purchase those lands which lye on the North syde of Teticott River within the bounds of Bridgwater of the Indians, for the townee use." October 29, 1672. Nicholas Byram made his will on January 13, 1687. The will was proved on June 13, 1688. He ratified to his " brother John Shaw, of Weymouth," the title to certain land at Poor meadow, he gave to each of his children the land formerly given to them, and he bequeathed the remainder of his estate to his wife, Susanna. The witnesses of his will were Samuel Allen, William Brett, and John Whitman. Nicholas died in 1688. __SHOWFACTBOX__